Summer Parties with Twin Toddlers

Remember those days when you could go to a party and kick-back, socialize, have a drink, and grab some food? Parties with twin toddlers is not the time for any of that! I keep thinking we will refine our skills (and hey, maybe we will), but we are mid-way through the summer with 20 month old toddlers, and parties are more daunting then rewarding...but still totally worth it.

Key Learnings:

• Don't plan on eating - but try to at least enjoy a drink with one kid in tow

• Be prepared to depart at a moment's notice

• If you want them to eat, bring their seats!

Party 1: 2nd Birthday Party

It was outside at a Park and Elmo even made an appearance. The problem...it was outside at a park, meaning there was no containment for the girls....and it was right before lunch/nap time [remember, we twin moms live and die by the schedule].

Thank goodness my husband was there to help wrangle the girls....we only made it about an hour before we had to head home for lunch + nap. We also learned, they were too young for Elmo.

Picture of Kinsley with a balloon she chased around until it popped:

Party 2: 1st Birthday Party

We were thrilled to know we had the same nap schedule....meaning the start/end time would work nicely. The down-side, we were in the middle of our never-ending 40+ day colds. I had messaged the Mom letting her know the girls had runny noses and we didn't want to get anyone else sick.....and her response made my day. She told me colds were always going to happen with kids and as parents, we also need to live our lives....and live our lives we did.

We went....and the first thing we saw when we arrived, was a 7 year sneezing and coughing when we arrived (making me feel better about not being the only parents there with a sick kid).

The girls were pretty overwhelmed. There were a ton of people there and they spent most of their time on our hips....plus, Kinsley still had a cast on her leg. Food did not happen (and it looked DELICIOUS), but one drink over 90+ minutes and singing 'Happy Birthday' before we bounced.

Picture of Jayna on the 4-year old's truck next to the bounce house:

Party 3: Memorial Day BBQ

The holy grail of BBQs - with a pool, bounce house, bartenders, and food made on-site....but too much stress to enjoy any of it. We remembered to bring our hiccapop chairs this time, but forgot the bibs...meaning the girls spilled their ketchup covered hot dogs on their clothes. As a Mom, there was way too much going on. I attempted to have some of the watermelon feta salad (YUM!) out of a cup [because it was easier to eat without worrying about spilling it], but that was it.

Every time I looked up, one twin was running in one direction and her sister in the opposite. They climbed on the kids table (so embarrassing), nearly fell in the pool, and had full-fledged back arching meltdowns as we left....but they slept like babies in the car and we lived to tell the tale.

Picture before we left - their faces say it all

Party 4: 5th Birthday Party

We were excited to visit our friend's new house [remember new house] in OC for a last minute birthday celebration. Despite our best efforts, the girls refused to nap in the car...which lead to goldfish throughout the house, red wine knocked over on the carpet, scattered meltdowns, and stealing another kid's cheeseburger, before it was time to go.

Picture of the girls arguing over a bike that was way too big for them:

ABORT MISSION - time to leave: